The Price of Betrayal
by Epicurean
Summary: Drabble of a scene that takes place between Caroline and Klaus after the events of 4x09. "And Caroline," She paused. "Tell Tyler his punishment hasn't even begun yet."


By now the blood had dried and was crusted to his skin and clothes. His hair was matted down, and he wondered when blood had time to get in there. Klaus was sitting on his couch—had been for the last three hours. Just sitting there, staring into space, reliving the kills again and again. But this time he hadn't wanted too. He didn't want to recall the feel of their bone and meat as he slid his blade through their tough necks. The soft, wet warmth of their beating hearts in his hands.

He didn't want to remember what he had done to his hybrids_. His_ hybrids. He had worked a thousand years for them. Everything he ever wanted or dreamed of was finally in his grasp. But of course, like always, the universe had to rip everything away.

That whole stupid gang—The Salvatores, The Gilberts, the Bennett witch… Lockwood and Forbes… they got everything they wanted and more. Everything always worked out _perfectly_ for them. Couldn't _he _be allowed an _ounce_ of happiness? Couldn't he have at least_ one thing _for himself? It was the ultimate cosmic joke, constantly reminding him how utterly alone in the world he was.

One by one, his hybrids had been unsired and turned against him. How long had they done his bidding while they plotted away his demise? How many times had they run off for errands for him while thinking of ways to best slit his throat? How long had they been _bowing_ to_ Lockwood_?Pledging their allegiance to that small, insignificant, pathetic excuse for a Hybrid?

Stefan had betrayed his trust yet again. He didn't know why he ever expected anything different from that man. He kept opening himself up to him, which time and time again proved itself to be a terrible idea. It always had the same outcome. Stefan would never trust him or work with him or… befriend him. Stefan _loathed_ him. He was probably pink with glee at the thought of Klaus being taken out.

Caroline had batted her eyelashes and tried to play him for the fool as usual. It was the same every time she came around. He always knew she was just trying to distract him, but maybe he had hoped somewhere deep down that she would change her mind about him. Maybe he had hoped, one day as she attempted to dissuade him from another of her friend's ridiculous plans, she would tell him the truth before things got out of hand, as they always did? Maybe one day she would come up to him of her own with no other intention than to enjoy some time with him?

He had far too high of hopes for her, just as he did for Stefan. He _knew _better. But he couldn't help himself, and it reminded him of what a pathetic, foolish boy he was.

But his hybrids were the one thing he thought he could count on regardless. Even as Stefan and Caroline turned on him again and again, his hybrids were always there at his beck and call. They had no choice; they were loyal to him beyond their own control. But now…

Everything was _ruined_. Because one _silly boy_ couldn't just back the hell off.

Lockwood.

Tyler Lockwood.

Klaus had dispatched of that miserable wretch's mother. Seen the last bubble of oxygen escape to the surface of the water as she suffocated beneath his hand. Felt as her hold on life was torn violently away from her and she simply… ceased to be.

And now Tyler was as alone as he was. Yet it didn't make him feel better.

No. Tyler would see his dead, bloated mother floating in the fountain and he would mourn. Grieve, swear revenge. And then he would run into the comforting arms of Caroline. He would never truly be alone as long as Caroline was at his side.

He couldn't let him have the satisfaction. He _wouldn't_. If Tyler insisted Klaus was to be alone for all of time, Tyler should share the same fate.

He wouldn't get Caroline. He didn't deserve even a speck of happiness or light in his miserable existence. Caroline would be Klaus's. He had wanted her all this time, and he would have her. If Tyler insisted on taking away Klaus's hybrids, Klaus should have his woman.

He felt sick.

All these thoughts were racing through his head and he couldn't even take a moment to breath. He didn't want to. He just wanted to let the darkness take him. But he couldn't, he had to preserve, if only to spite those who tried to extinguish him. He would never give anyone that sort of satisfaction. Not Mikael, and _certainly_ not these calamitous, piteous little _children_.

He should just go to them now and…

He felt her presence before he even heard the creak of the wood beneath her feet.

"Caroline," he spoke dryly. It wasn't the same way her called out her name at the Grill earlier. It was empty and cold. "Come to see if you and your boyfriends plan to rid the world of me succeeded?"

He could hear the sound of her heart pick up speed, the thumping sounding almost majestic. Then he remembered the empty sound of Adrian's heart stopping as he ripped it out of him. "Sorry to say it didn't work out quite as you had planned."

"It wasn't…"

"Wasn't _wha_t, Caroline?" He snapped, voice raised in a shakily suppressed anger.

Caroline shook through every inch of her body. Klaus was like a minefield. Sure, they had set off the first rounds, but there could always be some hidden land mines that hadn't yet gone off, just waiting to be triggered to take a limb or two. She couldn't see him—she was standing behind him, looking at the back of his head peaking above the couch he rested on. She could only imagine the disarray he was in. In fact, she could imagine it quite well. The stench of blood had flooded the room… so many scents had mingled together. It was the hybrids, she knew it. He had killed all of his hybrids, the hybrids he was so desperate to protect. At this point she had no idea what to expect from him. It was probably stupid of her to come here. But she couldn't just let it be.

"It wasn't my plan." She swallowed, folding her arms to suppress the shudders that just wouldn't go away.

"But you were aware of it, weren't you?" She looked down in shame. Why was she feeling shame? She had done this so many times before and felt nothing. What was different now? Was it that talk with Stefan, the realization that maybe Klaus wasn't the villain they had painted him to be? But look at what he had done to those twelve people. He massacred them, in what? Self defense? But that's exactly what it was, wasn't it?

"Oh come now, love. You're telling me Tyler ran off to play Knight and didn't tell his princess so she could admire his bravery? You_ were _aware, _weren't you_?" Klaus's voice rose and fell at the most peculiar of moments. One instant his voice would be but a whisper and the next the floor beneath her shook.

"I knew."

"Then what is it you're here for, Caroline? I could have your head clean off your shoulders before you have time to blink. I _should_ have your head." He paused and she could hear the sound of him swallowing. "Get out of here before I do something I'll regret."

"It was wrong," Caroline spoke softly, voice cracking beneath her trembles. She could barely get the words out. Tears were threatening to release. She knew she was pressing her luck, but she _had_ to say it. He _had _to know. "Stefan and I, we regret it. Every last moment."

"Stefan and you? Ah, what a pair you two make. Using my fondness of you to take advantage of my good will, _constantly _trying to destroy me no matter what courtesy I extend to you. You both know how to play the game so well." His voice quivered lightly towards the end, which he scoffed to mask. "You _should_ regret it. They're all dead because of _you_."

Caroline closed her eyes, because at this point she knew she was going to start crying. "I know. We should have told you. I'm sorry."

"You won't be for long," Klaus mused to himself. She obviously didn't know about Carol if she was apologizing to him.

"What does that mean?" Caroline's eyes shot open. "Klaus, what did you do? What did you…"

"Nothing you weren't all _begging_ for."

And suddenly he was in front of her. He was a sight to behold, truly. Caroline had only ever heard stories of Klaus's wrath, but no amount of words could possibly describe what it was really like. Blood covered every inch of him, as if it had rained down on him. And she was sure it had. It stained his skin, leaving his usually blue eyes looking uncomfortably crimson. He hadn't even bothered changing clothes. But what was truly frightening, in spite of all the blood and pieces of flesh that decorated him like battle scars, was the deadness in his eyes. They were completely devoid of any emotion. All the light in them from earlier had been diminished. And she knew it was their fault. _They_ did this to him.

"Who did you kill?" Her lips trembled as she asked the question she wasn't even sure she wanted an answer to. She felt a tear slip down her cheek.

"No one of consequence to you," Klaus mumbled as his eyes flickered down, examining her. He usually looked her straight in the eye when he spoke to her, but now his eyes flashed over her like she was a piece of meat. Something to be cut down. Had she used up all he had to offer her? Had she wasted away the extent of his fondness for her? "…unless you really give two shits about what happens to Tyler's family."

Caroline breathed sharply. She knew exactly who he was talking about.

He killed her. Carol Lockwood. Tyler's mother. The last family Tyler had in the whole world. Tyler had no one now. He was utterly alone.

Klaus's eyes shot upward at her sudden breath. "So perhaps it isn't so meaningless to you. Regardless, I really couldn't care less about your feelings anymore, Caroline."

She wanted to scream at him. To hit him, to make him pay. But what was the point? They all saw this coming; they just refused to recognize it. In the end, Klaus can't be beat, and they only had themselves to blame. Everything would have been fine if they had just left well-enough alone. The hybrids would still be alive and sired to Klaus, and Carol would be safe at home opening Christmas presents like she _should_ be.

Her eyes closed again as she felt the sting. The tears wouldn't stop falling down even though she was screaming at herself to stop. Here she was, crying in front of a man still crusted in the blood of her boyfriend's pack. She wondered if any of it was Carol's.

She could feel his breath beating against her forehead as he fell towards her. He was swaying, probably still drunk out of his mind. When she opened her eyes again her vision was blurred from the tears that tangled between her eyelashes. Klaus didn't look angry anymore. He didn't look apathetic. He looked_ alone_.

He leaned forward some more and she could smell the blood and wine in his breath. His lips were so close to hers.

Maybe he would kiss her.

But he didn't. His body swayed back again, and suddenly he had returned to his place on the couch. "Get out of here, Caroline. Go return to your knight in shining armor. I'm sure he could use a shoulder to cry on right about now."

She opened her mouth to say something but was met with silence. What was there to say? So she nodded, well aware he couldn't see her, and turned to leave.

"And Caroline,"

She paused.

"Tell Tyler his punishment hasn't even _begun _yet."


End file.
